New Editor, Same Standards

We recently said goodbye to Editor Jennifer Doyle, who took over as editor of the EMS Insider when founding editor Mannie Garza retired after 21 amazing years of service to EMS in journalism and the EMS community.

We are pleased to introduce Teresa McCallion, EMT-B to the Insider team. Teresa lives in Bonney Lake, Wash., where she works as a freelance journalist and serves as a volunteer EMT for East Pierce Fire and Rescue. She has been a journalist for more than 20 years, working as a newspaper reporter and weekly automotive newspaper columnist. Teresa has extensive experience in fire/EMS media and community relations, and has written about public safety issues for a variety of magazines and journals. She earned a BA in communication from Gonzaga University.

Teresa and the rest of the Insider team will post news and tips here. We'll also start discussion threads on controversies and priority issues that matter to you -- the manager/supervisor. Join in!

The EMS Agenda for the Future has been released, and it says there are four key components for a thriving workforce. These include health, safety and wellness; education and certification; data and…Continue

If you thought the federal government was underfunding ambulance transport services in the past, brace yourself to receive even less. A new way of calculating the Ambulance Inflation Factor (AIF)…Continue

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Hi all! There is a new association in California representing EMS professionals. Even if you are not an EMD, EMR, EMT, AEMT or Paramedic in California, please "Like" this page to support us! CAAEMT Facebook Page

The mission of the California Association of Emergency Medical Technicians is to serve the prehospital EMS care providers of California by presenting networking opportunities, offer continuing education, work with CAAEMT partners to give discounts on services and products, and represent its membership during discussions that will readily affect their practice and protocols.

With the new year upon us and the economy still in a slump, I thought it would be great to share in the January EMS Insider some of the cost-saving measures EMS agencies have initiated that have proven effective. I would love to share with our readers your best cost-saving solutions. They need not be complicated and could involve any aspect of your operation: utilities/facilities, communications, admin/office expenses, supply/disposables, fuel/fleet, billing, health care premiums, scheduling/overtime, training, insurance/risk management, DME/maintenance, etc.

A short description (paragraph or two) would suffice; however, any specific data you can provide would be great (i.e., putting XX out to bid saved our organization $X or X% over the course of the year, etc.) Please include your name, title, organization and city/state.

Sometimes the simplest ideas are the best, so please don't be shy! I will of course credit you and your organization and will make sure you receive a copy of the issue. If you're interested in contributing, I'll need all input by Monday, December 13. Please send all responses to me off-list at jenniferdoyle@cox.net.

In a new report issued today by the Kellogg School, economists estimate an additional $574 billion in unfunded liabilities from pension plans at the city and county levels.

The paper, “The Crisis in Local Government Pensions in the United States,” is co-authored by Joshua Rauh of the Kellogg School and Robert Novy-Marx of the University of Rochester. In this latest study, Rauh and Novy-Marx calculate the aggregate unfunded liabilities and forecast the number of years assets will last for 77 defined pension plans sponsored by 50 major U.S. cities and counties. The sample represented all non-state municipal entities with more than $1 billion in pension assets, covering 2.04 million local public employees and retirees. Rauh will present the paper at the Brookings Institution on Oct. 15 in Washington, D.C. ...

Defibtech is recalling certain battery packs used in Lifeline and ReviveR automatic external defibrillators (AED). These battery packs may cause the AED to inappropriately cancel the charge and be unable to deliver therapy. The company has received four malfunction reports from AED users.

This recall affects DBP-2800 battery packs shipped before June 4, 2007. The affected packs have serial numbers between 202001005 and 202005916 or between 206001001 and 206009871.

Anyone who has a Lifeline or ReviveR AED should check the battery pack's serial number and contact the company if it is affected by the recall. Defibtech will be sending corrective software to users who have affected battery packs.

In the meantime, the company says the AED can be kept in service until the software update card is received. But make sure there is a backup battery pack or a backup AED available. If your AED cancels a shock during a rescue and shuts down with service code 1003, replace the battery pack and continue with the rescue. Read the FDA Safety Alert at